My Three Legged Stool

Today is the second day of my vacation and soon I will be participating in the General Convention of The Episcopal Church (TEC) as a volunteer to the Committee on the Consecration of Bishops.

On this July 4th and the celebration of our independence from England, I deviate to provide a brief history of TEC, a province of the Anglican Communion Much of what you read here was taken from FAQ's provided at the Episcopal Church website.

At a conference of three clergy and 24 lay delegates that met at Chestertown, Kent County, Maryland, on November 9, 1780, and resolved that "the Church formerly known in the Province as the Church of England should now be called the Protestant Episcopal Church." On August 13, 1783, the Maryland clergy met at Annapolis and adopted the name "Protestant Episcopal Church." At the second session of the 1789 General Convention, September 29-October 16, 1789, a Constitution of nine articles was adopted. The new church was called the "Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America" (PECUSA).

The word "Protest ant" noted that this was a church in the reformation tradition, and the word "Episcopal" noted a characteristic of catholicity, the historic episcopate.

The church has grown from 13 dioceses to more than 100 dioceses. It is divided into nine geographical provinces. It is governed by a bicameral General Convention, which meets every three years, and by an Executive Council during interim years.

Ok, a little time here for an important definition. What the heck is bicameral? Since I did not study Latin, my first thoughts are two camera's but what does that have to do with goverance. Therefore, the online dictionary comes in handy.

1. Composed of or based on two legislative chambers or branches: a bicameral legislature.
2. Medicine. Composed of or having two chambers, as an abscess divided by a septum.

I pick #1.

Is that your final answer?

Yes.

The work at Convention is carried out by deputies and bishops representing each diocese and consists of the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies. During its triennial meeting deputies and bishops consider a wide range of important matters facing the Church.

I was once corrected when I used the word delegates instead of deputy. What is the difference?

A Delegate is a person authorized to act as representative for another or is representative to a conference or convention.

A Deputy is a person appointed or empowered to act for another.

Apparently there is a huge difference between acting as and acting for another.

The difference, according to a former deputy, is that a delegate is required to vote as the group intends, whereas the deputy can vote as his or her conscience dictates.

This aptly sets the stage for much melodrama.

(If this is not the case, please write in and let's correct this posting.)

The House of Bishops is composed of every bishop with jurisdiction, every bishop coadjutor, every suffragan bishop, every retired bishop, every bishop elected to an office created by General Convention, and every bishop who has resigned because of missionary strategy. All members of the House of Bishops have seat and voice in the House of Bishops.

The House of Deputies is composed of up to four lay and four clerical deputies from each of the dioceses.

The two top leaders of the church are the Presiding Bishop, who is also called Primate and Chief Pastor, and the president of the House of Deputies.

Ok. that is how we govern. How do we practice our faith?

Most Episcopalians, along with most Anglicans, practice a faith that is liturgically and theologically a bridge between Catholicism and Protestant traditions. We value a balance of scripture, reason, and tradition as set forth by 16th-century English theologian Richard Hooker.

Richard Hooker (March 1554 – 3 November 1600) was an Anglican priest and an influential theologian.^[1] Hooker's emphases on reason, tolerance and inclusiveness considerably influenced the development of Anglicanism. He was the co-founder (with Thomas Cranmer and Matthew Parker) of Anglican theological thought.

My three legged stool. Scripture, reason. and tradition. That said, I also like the words tolerance and inclusiveness.

And that is why I am an Episcopalian, sitting on a stool and not a chair.